Unchosen One

The first book in a hilarious, fast-paced and super readable new fantasy adventure series from the New York Times bestselling author of The House at the Edge of Magic.

"Wonderfully inventive, brilliantly funny, warm-hearted and magical." Andy Shepherd, author of The Boy Who Grew Dragons

What happens if the Chosen One doesn't want the job?

When Tassie is announced as the Chosen One, destined to save the day, she knows there's been a mistake. She's nothing like the mild-mannered child described in the prophecy! Besides, being the Chosen One sounds like ZERO fun.

If Tassie wants to dodge her destiny, she needs to find a new Chosen One - and fast! Along with her best friend, a griffin called Spin, she embarks on a quest through magical lands in a race against the clock. Unfortunately, she's never been on time for anything...

Prepare for dizzying dragon rides, sneaky elves and bad-tempered orcs, as Amy Sparkes combines the wit and eccentricity of Terry Pratchett's young fiction with the unlikely hero story of Kung-Fu Panda. This unputdownable adventure proves you don't have to be the Chosen One to save the day!

Perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Sam Copeland, Jamie Littler and Jenny McLachlan.

"A shot of joy: humour, heart and hope." Abi Elphinstone, author of the Ember Spark series

"Colourful, chaotic and cracking good fun!" Sinead O'Hart, author of The Silver Road

Review: Wonderful world-building, full of suspense and humour too; and with a well-meaning, kind-hearted, courageous protagonist, this is a captivating book for fantasy enthusiasts from around seven. -- Jill R Bennett * Red Reading Hub *
This was delightfully funny without tipping into chaos. Tassie's voice is clever and grounded; the quest is exciting, but there's heart under the humour. Spin is charmingly mischievous, and the series opener manages to wrap up enough that it doesn't feel like a cliffhanger, which is perfect for this age group. * Read and Reviewed *
We were whisked away on this marvellous magical adventure story and loved the characters of Tassie, Spin and Darley and the three wraiths in particular. This book is brimming with humour, full of heart and it sparkles with magic of every kind. We loved the messages of friendship and loyalty displayed throughout the book and the fast-paced storyline keeps the reader gripped throughout. We hope this is the first of many more of this series. * Mini Travellers *
As well as being a wonderful adventure that includes many of the features you might expect in a fantasy, the story is filled with humour - something conveyed brilliantly by Ben Mantle's cover, which will encourage many readers to pick this up from the shelf. Some of this is quite slapstick in nature but much of it comes from the author turning some of the traditional tropes on their head, with the appearances of the wraiths being amongst my favourite examples. Aimed at 9+ readers, there will be many of that age who absolutely love this, but it will also be enjoyed by those a year or two younger - and their adults - as a shared read. I very much enjoyed it and, with this being the opener to a trilogy, can't wait to meet Tassie again in Book 2 to see what fate has in store for her next. * Mrs Sydney's Famous World's Smallest Library *
Hilarious and heartwarming, it was like a mix between Monty Python and the Holy Grail mixed with Disney/Pixar's Onward and filled with fun, friendship and oodles of magic. This will make such a great readaloud for classes and shows readers that we can change our own paths and be courageous in what we do. Spellbinding excitement from start to end with wraiths, dragons, elves and bad tempered orcs to enjoy! * Check 'Em Out Books *